HILDESHEIM COLUMNThe great doors of Saint Michael’s
were not the only large-scale examples of bronze-casting Bernward
commissioned. Within the church stood a bronze spiral column
(FIG. 16-25) that survives intact, save for its later capital and miss-
ing surmounting cross. The seven spiral bands of relief tell the story
of Jesus’ life in 24 scenes, beginning with his baptism and concluding
with his entry into Jerusalem. These are the missing episodes from
the story told on the church’s doors. The narrative reads from bot-
tom to top, exactly as on the Column of Trajan (FIG. 10-44) in Rome.
That triumphal column was unmistakably the model for the
Hildesheim column, even though the Ottonian narrative unfolds
from right to left instead of from left to right. Once again, a monu-
ment in Rome provided the inspiration for the Ottonian artists
working under Bernward’s direction. Both the doors and the col-
umn of Saint Michael’s lend credence to the Ottonian emperors’
claim to be the heirs to Charlemagne’s renovatio imperii Romani.
GERO CRUCIFIXNowhere was the revival of interest in mon-
umental sculpture more evident than in the crucifix (FIG. 16-26)
Archbishop Gero commissioned and presented to Cologne CathedralOttonian Art 42516-25Column with reliefs illustrating the life of Christ, commis-
sioned by Bishop Bernward for Saint Michael’s, Hildesheim, Germany,
ca. 1015–1022. Bronze, 12 6 tall. Dom-Museum, Hildesheim.
Modeled on the Column of Trajan (FIG. 10-44) in Rome, the seven spiral
bands of the Hildesheim column relate the life of Jesus from his baptism
to his entry into Jerusalem, episodes Bernward’s doors omitted.16-26Crucifix commissioned by Archbishop Gero for Cologne
Cathedral, Cologne, Germany, ca. 970. Painted wood, height of figure
6 2 . Cathedral, Cologne.
In this early example of the revival of monumental sculpture in the
Middle Ages, an Ottonian sculptor depicted with unprecedented
emotional power the intense agony of Christ’s ordeal on the cross.1 ft.
1 ft.